OpenAI strives to transform ChatGPT into a multifaceted companion, friend, and now educator with the unveiling of Study Mode, evolving the chatbot into a personal tutor. In this mode, ChatGPT avoids providing direct answers. Instead, users outline their objectives and knowledge level before receiving guidance. For example, whether they are novices in a subject or seeking a refresher, the chatbot customizes a tailored lesson appropriately.

If a college freshman encounters a tough physics question, ChatGPT bypasses the fundamentals and engages in a lesson module. For individuals who have a vague recollection of a subject but need to tackle a specific query, ChatGPT retraces steps, saying, “Let’s learn by doing. Let’s work through this together.”

Previously, users speculated about the launch of a tutor bot after spotting a “Study Together” feature in ChatGPT’s settings, enabling collaborative problem-solving via Socratic dialogue. This aligns with OpenAI’s initiative to integrate AI into education, which includes providing complimentary ChatGPT services to college students throughout the country. With Study Mode, OpenAI affirms this trajectory.

“We recognize that learning necessitates effort and curiosity,” stated Leah Belsky, OpenAI’s education lead. “Our objective was to encourage students to leverage AI for enhanced learning.”

The mode employs custom instructions to emulate an educator, guided by pedagogy specialists. It uses Socratic questioning, scaffolded responses, and knowledge assessments to engage college learners.

“We believe AI will revolutionize education,” Belsky remarked. OpenAI also seeks to tackle challenges that average users encounter in refining the model for educational use. “This is vital because initial research indicates that utilizing ChatGPT can influence learning outcomes. When applied to teaching, it enhances performance, but as an answer provider, it can impede learning,” she noted.

OpenAI intends to roll out future enhancements to Study Mode, incorporating advanced visualizations, goal-setting, progress tracking, and personalization according to skill level and grade.

To activate Study Mode, users can enable it in the “Tools” setting of ChatGPT beneath the prompt window. It can be switched on or off during conversations. Please note that the feature is dependent on new system instructions, not a distinct model, which might result in inconsistencies.

Study Mode is accessible on Free, Plus, Pro, and Team accounts, with an upcoming launch for ChatGPT Edu accounts.